Northampton Town 2 Birmingham City 2 - the match report
PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY
Tuesday July 21st, 7.30pm
Sixfields
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Nicky Adams 45, 59
BIRMINGHAM CITY 2
Demarai Gray 3
Lee Novak 68
Attendance: 1,675 (514 away fans)
Cobblers: Ryan Clarke, Josh Lelan, David Buchanan, Ryan Cresswell, Rod McDonald, John-Joe O’Toole, Paul Corry, Lawson D’Ath, Sam Hoskins, Nicky Adams, Ivan Toney
Substitutes: Zander Diamond, Joel Byrom, Alfie Potter, Marc Richards, Chris Hackett, Sam Warburton, Danny Clifton, Adam Smith
Birmingham: Adam Legzdins, Josh Cogley, Michael Morrison, Paul Robinson, Mitch Hancox, David Davis, Demarai Gray, Rostyn Griffiths, Peniel Mlapa, Andrew Shinnie, Lee Novak
Substitutes: Denny Johnstone, Nick Townsend, Viv Soloman-Otabor, Perry Cotton, Liam Truslove, Wes McDonald, Alfie Crooks
Referee: Mr D Whitestone
Booked:
Cobblers: none
Birmingham: none
Sent off:
Cobblers: none
Birmingham: none
Birmingham City were the visitors to Sixfields for the Cobblers second and final home pre-season friendly.
Chris Wilder made a number of changes to the side that had run Derby County close just three days previous with starts for amongst others goalkeeper Ryan Clarke, striker Ivan Toney and trialists Rod McDonald, Paul Corry and Sam Hoskins.
On a warm evening in Northampton it was the Championship side who took the lead on 3 minutes, Demarai Gray scoring from close range after getting on the end of a Lee Novak cross.
Town’s first chance of the night saw Adam Legzdins parry a chip from Hoskins, an under pressure Toney then heading just over.
The Blues went close to doubling their lead when Peniel Mlapa’s shot landed on the roof of the net while it took a good save from Adam Legzdins to keep out a Nicky Adams power drive.
Adams wasn’t to be denied a goal however, equalising on the stroke of half-time with a cute, curled finish past Legzdins.
It was Nicky Adams' night and the midfielder put the Cobblers in front just before the hour mark, smashing the ball home following a neat lay-back from Josh Lelan.
Ivan Toney skewed a shot wide before Birmingham levelled through Lee Novak on 68 minutes, Novak in the right place at the right time to beat Ryan Clarke with a hard low shot.
Marc Richards, Chris Hackett and Zander Diamond came on in a triple change for the Cobblers, replacing Ivan Toney, Lawson D’Ath and Ryan Cresswell.
Ryan Clarke made two terrific saves in the last ten minutes to deny Denny Johnstone and Lee Novak but there were to be no more goals, an entertaining game ending 2-2.
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (5) 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 8
CORNERS: (2) 4
FOULS: (6) 7
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2
BIRMINGHAM CITY MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (1) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (5) 5
CORNERS: (0) 3
FOULS: (7) 8
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (3) 3